About This Fish

Species Name

Bluefish

Image

About the Species

The bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix) is perch like ray finned fish which belongs to Family Pomatomidae under Order Perciformes of Class Actinopterigii. Regionally it is also known as a tailor in Australia, shad on the east coast of South Africa, elf on the west coast, lüfer in Turkey, and lufar in Russia. It is a good commercial and popular game fish. The bluefish is widely distributed around the world in tropical and subtropical waters. It is found in pelagic waters of coastal habitats. It is often found in large schools in estuaries and inshore waters.

The bluefish has a long, stout, torpedo-like body and a forked tail. It's back is grayish blue green while the lower sides and belly are silvery. It has a characteristic dark spot behind its pectoral fin. Lower jaw is larger than upper jaw. Dorsal fin has spiny part and soft part, of which, the spiny part is short and low with 7 - 8 feeble spines and soft part with 23 -28 soft rays. Anal fin has 2 - 3 spines with 23 -27 rays. It grows up to 120 cm in length and 14 kg in weight. It has indiscriminate feeding habit which feeds on other fish, squid, crabs, American lobsters, and shrimp. It is preyed upon by striped bass, larger bluefish, summer flounder, weakfish, tuna, sharks, rays, dolphin, billfish, seals, sea lions, porpoises, and many other species. It reproduces during spring and summer and can live up to 12 years.